More Bird Ringing

The nest box season is well and truly with us and the ringers are busy.  If they have time they take photographs, but the welfare of the birds always comes first.  These were taken earlier.

Once the Grey Heron chicks were ringed they were carefully placed back in the nest.

At the same site as the Grey Herons a Mute Swan was seen swimming gracefully across the lake.  Jenny has caught the reflection.  Swan cygnets are ringed later in the season.

Ladders are an essential part of the kit for nest box checking.

Back on our lake there is some discussion going on about the Moorhens.  One pair has seven young but one of the adults appears to be adding material to a nest. 

If you are patient and have time to sit in the hide, you may well see chicks of Moorhen, Greylag Geese and Little Grebe and it is interesting to look at the different methods that the parents use to find food and then present it to the chicks.

As the information from bird ringing is entered into IPMR during the ringing sessions it is easy to collate data.  To date 104 Siskins and 329 Lesser Redpolls have been ringed.

Our Bird Song Breakfast morning takes place on Saturday 14th May beginning at 0430, followed by breakfast at Wathgill.  There is a £5 charge for breakfast.  Eco Club on the 28th May begins at 1030 and is all about our bees, bumble and hive.  1st of June is the Wednesday of half term and is our activity morning where we will be looking at butterflies and moths. Thursday 2nd June is our Coffee Morning at Richmiond Town Hall from 9.

If you are interested in any of these events there are more details on the events page.